Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Interview with Alexandra Adornetto + Giveaway!

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GhostHouseH
As a big fan of ghost stories, I’m excited to have the Ghost House tour stop by today where I got to interview Alexandra Adornetto, and you can enter to win before you go!

Interview with Alexandra Adornetto + Giveaway!Ghost House by Alexandra Adornetto
Series: The Ghost House Saga #1
Published by Harlequin Teen on August 26th 2014
Genres: Paranormal, YA
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

From the New York Times bestselling author of Halo comes the start of a beautiful and powerful new series.

After the loss of her mother, Chloe Kennedy starts seeing the ghosts that haunted her as a young girl again. Spending time at her grandmother's country estate in the south of England is her chance to get away from her grief and the spirits that haunt her. Until she meets a mysterious stranger…

Alexander Reade is 157 years dead, with secrets darker than the lake surrounding Grange Hall and a lifelike presence that draws Chloe more strongly than any ghost before. But the bond between them awakens the vengeful spirit of Alexander's past love, Isobel. And she will stop at nothing to destroy anyone who threatens to take him from her.

To stop Isobel, Chloe must push her developing abilities to their most dangerous limits, even if it means losing Alex forever… and giving the hungry dead a chance to claim her for their own.



Interview with Alexandra Adornetto

What’s the best word to describe Ghost House?

Haunting.

What’s the biggest challenge you had while writing this book?

Allowing Alex to be a 19th century gentleman with 19th century values, without making him come across as an oppressive or controlling figure in Chloe’s life. I feel like this was best avoided by making Chloe sassy and confident within herself. I couldn’t change Alex, but I could make sure she knew how to hold her own!

Do you have a favorite scene from Ghost House?

The flashback sequence where Alex is painting Isobel’s portrait in the summer house. I really loved their relationship and wished I could have explored it further. I want readers to know they were once passionate and crazy about each another.  Their relationship was intense and beautiful in it’s own right. But that’s for another story!

Do you believe in ghosts? Did you ever have a creepy ghost encounter?

Yes and yes. I’ve had too many. When I was little I thought I could see ghosts all the time. Now, my encounters with them are more infrequent. I think my apartment might be haunted, though. Sometimes in the middle of the night, there’s this strange, inexplicable knocking that comes from inside the walls. It’s loud enough to make you jump, then it stops abruptly. Weird.

Was there anything that was cut from the book, or anything you wish you had done differently now that it’s finished?

In the original draft of the book, Chloe was sent to live at her Grandmother’s plantation in Belle Haven, Virginia. Alex was a ghost of the confederacy and Isobel was a dead Scarlett O’Hara. After visiting the UK last year, I changed the setting and the characters to 19th century England. I don’t regret the choice…thankfully!

You have one YA series about angels, and now one is about ghosts, what do you think you will be tackling in the future?

I think I will be moving away from the paranormal. I want to write something gritty and contemporary next, something more reflective of the things I am seeing and experiencing now at this stage of my life. I’d like to explore the challenges of relationships in the context of modern life.

What are some of the creepiest books you ever read?

Heart-Shaped by Joe Hill was pretty scary or The Yellow Wallpaper which is a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It’s psychological, not supernatural at all, but it’s very disturbing. I tend to steer more toward the classics for inspiration. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, both have elements of a ghost story without having an actual ghost. I also love Interview With a Vampire by Anne Rice.

 

About the Author


Alexandra Adornetto started writing at a very young age, with her first novel being released when she was only thirteen. A native of Australia, Alexandra moved to the US to study at the University of Mississippi. She is currently living in Hollywood and working on a number of film projects, both as a writer and an actress.

GHOST HOUSE is Alexandra’s seventh published novel and the first book in what will become her third trilogy. The first two novels of her beloved Halo series both debuted on the New York Times bestseller list and her books are sold in more than 25 countries worldwide.




This post is part of the Ghost House blog tour.

Monday, August 11th – Our Wolves Den – Guest Post
Wednesday, August 13th – Xpresso Reads – Author Interview
Friday, August 15th – Swoony Boys Podcast – Guest Post

Monday, August 18th – Fiktshun – Character Interview (Chloe)
Wednesday, August 20th – Candace’s Book Blog – Guest Post
Friday, August 22nd – This Girl Reads A Lot – Author Interview

Monday, August 25th – Parajunkee – Guest Post
Wednesday, August 27th – Book Nerd – Author Interview
Friday, August 29th – Book Briefs – Guest Post


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Giveaways

Thanks to Harlequin Teen and Kismet Book Tours, you can enter to win yourself a copy of Ghost House!
There is also a grand prize of a 100$ Amazon, iTunes, or B&N gift card, all entries into the giveaways on each tour stop count towards the grand prize!


  • Open to US and Canada only
  • Full contest terms and conditions found on Rafflecopter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giselle

Canadian blogger, wife, mother, coffee lover, and sarcastic at heart! She has had a love for all things bookish since before Amazon and eReaders existed *le gasp*. You can also find her organizing tours and other fun things at Xpresso Book Tours.

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40 Responses to “Interview with Alexandra Adornetto + Giveaway!”

  3. Christina R.

    LOVE ghost stories, the scarier the better, and since the author has had encounters with them she wrote ghosts authentically 🙂

    LOVE the romance and the vengeful ex and how she’ll threaten their love.

    thank you 🙂

  5. Nick @ Nick's Book Blog

    If I were living in her apartment, I’d be gone the second I heard the weird knocking. I haven’t encountered any ghosts and I want it to stay like that. I might like creepy books, but if any of these YA horror/paranormal books settings were real, I would be doomed.
    Thanks for sharing, Giselle!

  6. erinf1

    I haven’t read a good ghost story in a loooong time. thanks so much for sharing! This sounds awesome 🙂

  8. Preethi @ Time Turning Reads

    Ack this book sounds so good! I don’t always end up reading ghost stories – to say I’m a scaredy-cat would be an understatement – but Ghost House seems too good to resist! I’m definitely adding this book to my TBR list. Thanks for the giveaway!

  9. Patrycja Chudziak

    I LOVE ghost stories and shows, though Im terrified of them!!! I cant wait to read this! Esp. on a windy, rainy, dark night lol

  12. Susan T.

    I love ghost stories but I’m not easily scared. I really enjoy creepiness so this book looks great!

  13. Kris

    I’ve been reviewing your posts via Bloglovin and I just added my name to your subscriber list. This sounds like a very exciting read and while I’m not a fan of “scary” books this one doesn’t sound all that scary. I’d really enjoy this read.

    Thanks so much for the opportunity to be included in your giveaway! 🙂

  16. Melanie (YA Midnight Reads)

    While I don’t love ghosts stories a whole lot because well…I’m a wimp, I really do want to give this one a go–especially because the author went to my high school which is pretty awesome >.<

    Lovely interview, ladies! <33

  17. Melliane

    I always love a book during this period and I confess that even if I didn’t know about the book, I’m quite curious now. Thanks for the interview!

  18. Teresa S.

    I love ghost stories! I was never easily scared but recently the strangest little things make my skin crawl. Ever get the feeling that someone is looking over your shoulder but when you turn around, there’s no one there? That doesn’t scare me. It happens a lot. But strange coincidences with people I’ve just met? Now that scares me? Why did that person cross my path at that precise menta and say the thing I most needed to hear? That’s weird!

  21. Madonna

    I am a complete coward and can’t ready anything that is really scary. I do like suspense and the kinds of ghost tales that all us kids used to tell growing up.

  22. Debra

    Looking forward to reading this. Have read other books by this author and have yet to be disappointed.

  24. Christine

    I’m not easily scared, so I love ghost stories! Especially when they’re tied up with some mystery 🙂

  30. Rachel

    I love ghost stories and I don’t believe or not believe in them! I’d rather they stay out of my life and I enjoy them from afar, because it’s fun to be scared…but not in reality! 🙂 Thanks so much for the awesome interview! I really enjoyed the HALO trilogy, so i’m excited to read GHOST HOUSE!

  34. Stacy Renee

    I’ve been a bit obsessed with ghost stories since I was a kid so I think I’ve been pretty desensitized to them but they are still one of my favorite type of books to read! 🙂